Matthew Bourne paints his adaptation of Tim Burton’s gothic fairytale in somewhat broad strokes. This is both a blessing and curse: fine, when cartoonishly attacking the bland uniformity of suburban Upton; not so effective when tackling the more vicious elements (Kim’s jock boyfriend is a toxic asshole, the town is populated by bigots). Liam MowerContinue reading “Dance Review: Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands”
Category Archives: Review
Album Review: Anna Secret Poet- Pillow Princess
It’s always a good day when there’s a new release from the mighty Anna Secret Poet. ‘Pillow Princess ‘ is her latest album, and as ever, there’s some great songwriting, along with new genres, all delivered with humour, pathos and experimentation. The opener, ‘Everything That Was No Longer Is’ is a melancholic, piano- driven instrumentalContinue reading “Album Review: Anna Secret Poet- Pillow Princess”
Film Review: The Seventh Seal (1957)
A classic film which I- to my shame- finally caught for the first time last night, Ingmar Bergman’s film, meditating on death, life, spiritual emptiness, creation and purpose, sounds like an example of European doom on paper. But it’s multifaceted, with bawdy humour, lovely monochrome expressionism -inspired cinematography from Gunnar Fischer and a wonderful, livelyContinue reading “Film Review: The Seventh Seal (1957)”
Film Review: In Fabric (2019)
Are you being unnerved? There’s always been something creepy and a feeling of being stuck in a time warp about going through department stores. They are the cockroaches of the high street: nothing, but nothing,can kill them: not influencers, fashion blogs, or even ordering online. Still they stand, an uncanny relic of the past, stoic,Continue reading “Film Review: In Fabric (2019)”
Album Review: Current Joys- Rosebud
Current Joys, headed up by Nevada musician Nick Rattigan, are best when they crank up the distortion, but that’s not to say there’s no merit in their sweeter moments too. Rattigan has a way with a bubblegum melody line, which he smears in glitches and crackles. So ‘Rosebud’ is very much about the duality. TheContinue reading “Album Review: Current Joys- Rosebud”
Film Review: The Witch (2015)
Anya Taylor-Joy (above) as Thomasin and Kate Dickie (below) as her mother Kate. Robert Eggers doesn’t make conventional mainstream period films. Instead, like a spider spinning a complex, intricate web, the director creates moody pieces which mess with your subconscious state , unfurling at a stately pace. ‘The Witch’, set in the 1630s, has anContinue reading “Film Review: The Witch (2015)”
Film Review: The Substance (2024)
Coralie Fargeat’s horror film fights more than just the seven signs of ageing. Like a reverse Dorian Grey, Elisabeth Sparkle, an iconic aerobics instructor on TV (Demi Moore) is let go of by her sexist boss Harvey (Randy Quaid, hilarious and gross) for having the sheer audacity to simply age. Furious at being forced intoContinue reading “Film Review: The Substance (2024)”
EP Review: Strange Pink – Guest Room
How nineties are Strange Pink? They’re a young Brittany Murphy in a mall drinking Big Gulp in plaid before her role in ‘ Clueless’. They’re Kim and Thurston before the split but after the innovation. They’re a thousand college students railing against George Bush (Sr) Etc. There’s no doubting the Yorkshire trio’s love of theContinue reading “EP Review: Strange Pink – Guest Room”
Theatre Review: 1984, Dundee Rep Theatre
George Orwell’s prescient story, of future dystopia, directed by Citizens Theatre artistic director Dominic Hill, and adapted by Chris Hannan, is a strange beast. At once, origin story of how it was Orwell came to create the novel, flanked by characters who both homage and pastiche post- World War 2 stiff upper-lippery and casual fascism;Continue reading “Theatre Review: 1984, Dundee Rep Theatre”
Film Review: Late Night With The Devil (2023)
Who killed Mr Midnight? Well, the viewers, obviously. As once- popular seventies chat show host Jack Delroy’ s ratings slump, so, he needs to do something notorious to claw them back. A psychic, and sceptic conjurer based on James Randi should (literally) do the trick. David Dastmalchian excels as the obsequious Delroy: he’s classic sleazyContinue reading “Film Review: Late Night With The Devil (2023)”
